List of 30 Nurse Supervisor Interview Questions & Answers
Communication
1.
How do you explain medications, treatments, or healthcare situations without using a lot of medical or healthcare jargon?
How to Answer
This is your chance to showcase your communication skills. Use this time to highlight how you can meet patients where they are, and present complex information to them in a way that connects with them.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"Patients come from various backgrounds and usually come with their own understanding of how healthcare works. Some are not familiar with certain medical terminology, so instead of hypertension, I use the term 'high blood pressure.' I also try to provide specific and relatable examples to help my patients understand their conditions and treatment options."
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Experience
2.
What is your experience in training and managing team performance?
How to Answer
Use this time to highlight any leadership or managerial roles that you have had in the past. This could include volunteer work and leadership positions that you may have held in your community. Be sure to give specific examples of ways that you have created and managed strong teams.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"In my last role, I was a nursing supervisor at a residential community and managed a team of 5 CNA's. I created a culture of continuous learning and helped create many training and development opportunities for my staff."
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
3.
What do you think are the major challenges you will face in this job?
What to Avoid
No company is perfect, so avoid providing a long list of things that are wrong with the company. Focus on the things you've already learned about the company. Try not to base this answer on gossip you may have heard.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
1st Answer Example
"I think the biggest challenge for me would be learning a different patient demographic. This clinic serves a very large Hispanic population due to the location, so learning their needs and trying to learn Spanish will be a challenge, but it's one I'm sure will reap great rewards."
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
4.
Please describe a typical day in the working life of a Nurse Manager.
Focus Your Answer On
This is a great time to hone in on how you structure your day as a nurse supervisor. It could begin with a team meeting, checking in on nurses and patients from the previous shift, etc.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
5.
What do you feel you are uniquely bringing to the table as the new Nurse Manager?
The Goal
The goal of this question is to reiterate to the interviewer why you are a great fit for this job. Be sure to summarize not only your best leadership and nursing qualities but also your core values and how you will be an asset to the company.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
6.
What do you find is the hardest part of being a nurse?
Avoid This
Avoid saying things like 'lack of sleep' or 'difficulty maintaining positive relationships with doctors.' Feel free to be honest about the things you struggle with, but do it in a way that shows both your humanity and your leadership. As well, don't hesitate to talk about ways you try to make this part of the job better for yourself.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
7.
What types of patients did you deal with as a nurse? What is the typical volume of patients you handle each shift?
Remember To
Remember that you don't stop being a nurse when you reach a supervisor level. Instead, you use your nursing skills more strategically. Sometimes being a nurse supervisor means having to take on a patient load if you are at a short-staffed facility. For this question, remember to focus on the balance between being in leadership and providing hands-on patient care.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
8.
If you were offered the job, what would you hope to accomplish in the first 90 days?
Focus Your Answer On
Many companies have a 30-60-90 day performance review cycle. Since you are a new supervisor to the company, you should listen and try to learn the culture and the company's operations before trying to make any changes to any processes. You could start by making a small project plan.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
9.
What do you hope to gain from this position?
What to Avoid
For this answer, avoid focusing on external benefits such as compensation, flexible hours, etc. This is the time to do some soul searching and tell the interviewer about all the things you hope to accomplish.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
10.
How do you keep up with the constant changes in the nursing and healthcare field?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer wants to see that you are passionate enough about what you do. They want to hire someone who is empowered to want to learn all that they can to improve their craft. Talk about conferences, seminars, etc that you've attended or have been part of that have made an impact on you and made you a better nurse.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
11.
What interests you most about this facility and this particular clinical setting?
Focus Your Answer On
Talk about the specific clinical areas of nursing you feel you are most passionate about (pediatrics, trauma, oncology, etc) and how you feel the company's mission and clinical expertise complement those passions.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
General
12.
How do you maintain work-life balance when nursing gets stressful? How do you encourage your team to do the same?
How to Answer
Part of what makes a good nursing supervisor is self-awareness. Knowing your limitations and knowing when to take a step back and breathe is one of the most critical skills you can have. Use this time to talk about the importance of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and their impact on team morale which also impacts the quality of patient care.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Leadership
13.
How would you describe your leadership style?
How to Answer
Think about the qualities that make YOU a good leader. Consider if you are a more direct or more collaborative leader. You can also mention qualities such as enthusiasm, strong business acumen, etc. When you answer this question, be sure to ask about the culture of the workplace because it may or may not be aligned with your leadership style. Be honest about who you are as a leader.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Leadership
14.
How do you effectively lead your team during times of change?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Times of change can be anything from your facility being acquired or merging with another, leadership changes, or even technical changes. Every company and every department within a company goes through change, and it's your responsibility as a leader to ensure that your team is not only prepared for change but can also thrive during times of change.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Management
15.
What are the most difficult aspects of managing a team of nurses? What are the most rewarding?
Focus Your Answer On
There are different team dynamics that come with managing nurses who come from various backgrounds and clinical settings. Be sure to give specific examples of how you've dealt with both the challenges and the rewards of leading such a diverse team.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Operational
16.
How do you balance nursing priorities with management priorities?
What You Need to Know
As a nurse supervisor, it's important to remember that you don't stop being a nurse just because you are in a management role. Being a strong nurse supervisor requires both strong clinical skills and strong leadership skills, and it is essential to know how to use both skills the right way in the right context.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Organizational
17.
How do you stay organized with documentation and record keeping? What do you do when the nurses you supervise don't adhere to same organization process as you?
Focus Your Answer On
Walk the interviewer through your step-by-step process for ensuring patient information and notes from patient care are entered correctly. Talk about patient management systems you've used and any training you may have done on electronic healthcare management. You can even talk about your process for ensuring accurate documentation when you have limited time between patients.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Scenario
18.
What would you do if a patient complained to you about one of the nurses under your care?
Focus Your Answer On
When you answer this question, focus not only on your coaching style but also on your investigation and problem-solving skills. If a patient complains about one of the nurses on your team, it's your job to gather all of the information and facts before deciding whether or not this patient's claims are valid. This is called evidence-based performance management.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Scenario
19.
Imagine that, during your shift, multiple patients are having emergencies at once. How would you address this situation? Please explain your reasoning.
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The purpose of this question is to test your approach to crisis management, and having multiple crises all at once is as intense as it can get. But don't get overwhelmed; take your time and think through your actions and processes.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Scenario
20.
Explain how you deal with a patient who is aggressive and refuses medication.
How to Answer
Talk about any methods you use to calm a patient down. Consider if the patient is fearful, if they understand their need for medication, what the root cause behind their aggressiveness is. These are questions to think about when asked this interview question.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
21.
Can you describe a time you implemented a new program of study?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
The interviewer is asking this question because they are looking for candidates who demonstrate creative thinking skills as well as current knowledge of clinical nursing practices and procedures. They'll also be looking to hear that you can successfully implement a new training for your staff in your answer.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
22.
Have you experienced a time when you were unable to train clinical nursing staff in the use of a new piece of equipment?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Because technology in healthcare is constantly improving and changing over time, interviewers are looking for supervisor candidates who can acknowledge their shortcomings and demonstrate a willingness to stay current with new technologies. Talk about a time where you had to go the extra mile to be the subject matter expert on a new piece of equipment you and your staff would be using moving forward.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
23.
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems with a patient and you conducted preventative measures.
What You Should Say
Focus on your step-by-step process of problem-solving, risk management, and preventing potential issues before they happen. Examples could include recognizing symptoms of a particular disease early on and putting together a care team to deliver the best care.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
24.
Give me an example of a time you improved efficiency in clinical operations. What was the outcome?
How to Answer
This can be a pretty loaded question, but try not to be overwhelmed by trying to think of a big spectacular thing you did to improve efficiency. Improving efficiency can also come through small improvements made over a longer period but still made a great impact.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
25.
Retaining skilled nurses can be a challenge to manage. What steps have you taken in the past to improve retention? How effective were the changes?
How to Answer
Being a nurse can be a very exhausting job physically, mentally, and emotionally, and many nurses suffer from burnout. Give specific examples of methods that you have used to retain nursing talent and maintain a healthy work environment for them to thrive and provide high-quality patient care.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
26.
Tell me about a time you had to give a member of your team a negative performance review. What was the outcome?
How to Answer
Think about a time a staff member was not meeting the performance expectations of their job. Describe the situation to the interviewer. Give specific examples of how you coached this team member and other methods you tried to help them succeed. If possible, talk about the time and effort you put into writing the review to make a positive impact on the team member.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
27.
Tell me about a difficult case you handled as a nurse. How did it help you become a better nurse and how will you use these skills to support your team?
How to Answer
Tell the interviewer about a challenge you have faced on the job. This could be a difficult staffing decision you had to make because a member of your team did not provide adequate patient care or a situation with a difficult patient in which you had to coach your staff on the proper response.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Situational
28.
Describe a time when you were particularly proud of your healthcare team. What was your role in this situation?
How to Answer
Describe the circumstances and actions step-by-step. describe what happened to make you feel proud. Tell the interviewer what your role was and who was involved. End your response by describing the result.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Teamwork
29.
How do you deal with conflicts between team members? What are some guidelines you put into place to keep peace among your team?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Managing conflict between team members is part of the job of every leader. Conflict resolution is easier when you understand the causes of conflict and remember that open communication is always key.
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021
Teamwork
30.
Describe a time you and a doctor had to collaborate. Was there conflict? If so, what did you do to resolve the issue?
What to Avoid
Although the relationship between doctors and nurses can get tough at times since doctors tend to have the reputation of being difficult to work with, avoid focusing on the negative aspects of your relationship (questioning his character, shifting blame, etc).
Written by Brittanie Young on December 26th, 2021